The 2020 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consists of horse races from around the world that provide the respective winners with an automatic "Win and You're In" Berth in the 2020 Breeders' Cup, to be held on November 6 and 7. Races are chosen by the Breeders' Cup organization and include key races in the various Breeders' Cup divisions. The Breeders' Cup organization pays the Breeders' Cup entry fee for the challenge race winners, provided they had been nominated as foals.

Summary

The selected races vary somewhat from year to year as the Breeders' Cup attempts to attract the best horses in each division. The Breeders' Cup organization normally makes an announcement in April about the races that it will add or remove from the previous year's schedule for the new year. Because of the disruption to the racing schedule caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Breeders' Cup organization instead made several adjustments to the normal series throughout 2020.[1][2][3]

The 2019 Breeders' Cup Challenge series consisted of 86 races from across 11 countries.[4] New races for 2020 include the Victoria Mile at Tokyo Racecourse (Filly & Mare Turf), Carter Handicap at Belmont Park (Sprint), Alabama Stakes at Saratoga (Distaff) and the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico (Classic).

The following races were removed from the 2020 series: Gran Premio Criadores, Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella, Gran Premio Pamplona, Princess Rooney Handicap, John A. Nerud, Beverly D., Arlington Million, Jockey Club Derby, Cotillion and Sprinters Stakes.

On October 28, a total of 201 pre-entries were taken for the Breeders' Cup races, of which 48 horses were automatic qualifiers through the Challenge series races.[5]

Five winners from the challenge series went on to win at the 2020 Breeders' Cup:

  • Aunt Pearl won the Juvenile Fillies Turf after qualifying in the Jessamine
  • Essential Quality won the Juvenile after taking the Breeders' Futurity
  • Glass Slippers won the Turf Sprint after earning a berth in the Flying Five
  • Tarnawa won the Turf after qualifying for the Filly & Mare Turf in the Prix de l'Opéra
  • Authentic won the Classic after qualifying in the Haskell

Challenge Series races

The following table shows the Breeders' Cup Challenge races for 2020 and the respective winners.[6] The status column shows if the winner was entered at the Breeders' Cup, and if so, whether they finished in the top three.[7][8][9]

Month Race Track Location Division Winner Status
December Gran Premio Internacional Carlos Pellegrini San Isidro Argentina Breeders' Cup Turf Nao Da Mais (BRZ) bypass
January Paddock Stakes Kenilworth South Africa Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Queen Supreme (IRE) bypass
January Queen's Plate Kenilworth South Africa Breeders' Cup Mile Vardy (SAF) bypass
February February Stakes Tokyo Japan Breeders' Cup Classic Mozu Ascot (JPN) bypass
May Victoria Mile Tokyo Racecourse Japan Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Almond Eye (JPN) bypass
May Shoemaker Mile Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Mile Raging Bull (FR) entered
June Carter Handicap Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Sprint Vekoma scratched
June Yasuda Kinen Tokyo Japan Breeders' Cup Mile Gran Alegria (JPN) bypass
June Ogden Phipps Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Distaff She's a Julie retired[10]
June Queen Anne Stakes Royal Ascot England Breeders' Cup Mile Circus Maximus (Ire) second
June Prince of Wales's Stakes Royal Ascot England Breeders' Cup Turf Lord North (IRE) entered
June Norfolk Stakes Royal Ascot England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint The Lir Jet entered in Juvenile Turf
June Diamond Jubilee Stakes Royal Ascot England Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Hello Youmzain (FR) retired[11]
June Jaipur Invitational Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Oleksandra (AUS) entered
June Fleur de Lis Handicap Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Distaff Midnight Bisou retired[12]
June Stephen Foster Handicap Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Classic Tom's d'Etat entered
June Takarazuka Kinen Hanshin Japan Breeders' Cup Turf Chrono Genesis (JPN) bypass
July Metropolitan Handicap Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Vekoma scratched from the Sprint
July Haskell Invitational Monmouth New Jersey Breeders' Cup Classic Authentic entered
July King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes Ascot England Breeders' Cup Turf Enable (GB) retired[13]
July Sussex Stakes Goodwood England Breeders' Cup Mile Mohaather (GB) retired
August Personal Ensign Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Distaff Vexatious injured[14]
August Whitney Handicap Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Classic Improbable second
August Bing Crosby Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Sprint Collusion Illusion entered
August Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Distaff Fighting Mad bypass
August Ballerina Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Serengeti Empress second
August Alabama Stakes Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Distaff Swiss Skydiver entered
August Prix Jacques Le Marois Deauville France Breeders' Cup Mile Palace Pier bypass
August Juddmonte International York England Breeders' Cup Classic Ghaiyyath (IRE) retired[15]
August Yorkshire Oaks York England Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Love (IRE) bypass
August Nunthorpe Stakes York England Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Battaash (IRE) bypass
August Del Mar Handicap Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Turf Red King entered
August Fourstardave Handicap Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Mile Halladay entered
August Pacific Classic Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Classic Maximum Security entered
August Prix Morny Deauville France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Campanelle entered Juvenile Fillies Turf}}
August Sword Dancer Saratoga New York Breeders' Cup Turf Channel Maker third
August Pat O'Brien Stakes Del Mar California Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile C Z Rocket second
September Pocahontas Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Girl Daddy third
September Iroquois Stakes Churchill Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sittin on Go entered
September Juvenile Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Cadillac entered
September Matron Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Champers Elysees bypass
September Irish Champion Stakes Leopardstown Ireland Breeders' Cup Turf Magical second
September Turf Sprint Kentucky Downs Kentucky Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Imprimis entered
September Moyglare Stud Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Shale bypass
September Flying Five Stakes Curragh Ireland Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Glass Slippers won
September Woodbine Mile Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Mile Starship Jubilee entered in the Filly & Mare Turf
September Natalma Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Lady Speightspeare injured[16]
September Summer Stakes Woodbine Canada Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Gretzky the Great entered
September Rockfel Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Isabella Giles bypass
September Royal Lodge Stakes Newmarket England Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf New Mandate entered
September Vosburgh Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Sprint Firenze Fire third
September Speakeasy Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Amanzi Yimpilo (IRE) scratched
September Rodeo Drive Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Mucho Unusual entered
September American Pharoah Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile Get Her Number injured[17]
September Chandelier Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Princess Noor entered
September Awesome Again Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Classic Improbable second
September Grande Premio Brasi Hipódromo da Gávea Brazil Breeders' Cup Turf Pimper's Paradise (BRZ) bypass
September Santa Anita Sprint Championship Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Sprint C Z Rocket second
September Zenyatta Stakes Santa Anita California Breeders' Cup Distaff Harvest Moon entered
October Phoenix Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Sprint Diamond Oops entered
October Alcibiades Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Simply Ravishing entered
October Preakness Stakes Pimlico Race Course Maryland Breeders' Cup Classic Swiss Skydiver entered in Distaff
October First Lady Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Uni entered in Mile
October Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Inthemidstofbiz scratched
October Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Mile Ivar entered
October Breeders' Futurity Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Essential Quality entered
October Belmont Derby Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Turf Gufo bypass
October Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint Wooded bypass
October Prix de l'Opéra Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Tarnawa won the Turf
October Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sealiway entered
October Prix Marcel Boussac Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Tiger Tanaka bypass
October Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Longchamp France Breeders' Cup Turf Sottsass retired[18]
October Indian Summer Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Bodenheimer entered
October Bourbon Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Mutasaabeq entered
October Spinster Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Distaff Valiance second
October Jessamine Stakes Keeneland Kentucky Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Aunt Pearl (IRE) won
October Belmont Futurity Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Second of July entered
October Frizette Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Dayoutoftheoffice second
October Flower Bowl Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf Civil Union entered
October Champagne Stakes Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Juvenile Jackie's Warrior entered
September Jockey Club Gold Cup Belmont Park New York Breeders' Cup Classic Happy Saver bypass

    Television coverage

    Most of the Challenge Series races were televised, either by NBC, NBC Sports, TVG or Fox Sports.[19]

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Announces June, July Challenge Races". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
    2. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Announces August Challenge Races". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
    3. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Announces Fall Challenge Series Races". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
    4. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Announces Challenge Series Schedule". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
    5. ↑ "Support for Breeders' Cup strong despite difficult 2020". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    6. ↑ "The Breeders' Cup Challenge Schedule". www.breederscup.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
    7. ↑ "Breeders' Cup pre-entries (PDF)" (PDF). BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    8. ↑ "Charts for Breeders' Cup Friday". Equibase. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
    9. ↑ "Charts for Breeders' Cup Saturday". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
    10. ↑ "She's a Julie retired". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    11. ↑ "MG1SW Hello Youmzain Retired to Haras d'Etreham". Thoroughbred Daily News. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    12. ↑ "An Unexpected Storybook Ending for Midnight Bisou". Thoroughbred Daily News. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    13. ↑ "Wonder Mare Enable Retired". BloodHorsecom. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
    14. ↑ "Vexatious out". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
    15. ↑ "Ghaiyyath retired to Kildangan Stud after muscle soreness following work | Bloodstock News | Racing Post". www.racingpost.com. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    16. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Lady Speightspeare sidelined; large field expected". www.drf.com. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
    17. ↑ "Get Her Number to miss Breeders' Cup Juvenile". www.drf.com. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    18. ↑ "Arc Hero Sottsass Retired to Coolmore Stud". Thoroughbred Daily News. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
    19. ↑ "Breeders' Cup Challenge Series 2020: How to watch, schedule". NBC Sports. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
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